On Tuesday, a meeting occurred between Ahad Khan Cheema, the Minister for Economic Affairs, and Jo Moir, the Development Director of the British High Commission in Pakistan.
Rizwan Azam, the Team Leader of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), accompanied Moir. Additionally, senior officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs were present at the meeting.
The Minister for Economic Affairs extended his appreciation to the Development Director of the British High Commission in Pakistan for the consistent support and aid extended to the people of Pakistan.
He particularly recognized the FCDO’s pivotal role in delivering vital assistance during the 2022 floods and their backing of the International Partners’ Support Group (IPSG).
The minister reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan’s dedication to continued collaboration with the FCDO for the socio-economic advancement of Pakistan.
Expressing gratitude, the Development Director acknowledged the Minister for the robust partnership and joint endeavors aimed at tackling issues such as poverty alleviation, climate change mitigation, financial instruments facilitation, and the enhancement of financial management and accountability.
She pledged to bolster cooperation between the Government of Pakistan and the FCDO in these vital domains and assured her complete backing in investigating innovative green financing mechanisms to tackle climate change and bolster social sector initiatives, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
During the meeting, Minister Cheema deliberated on strategies aimed at enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of Pakistan’s bureaucracy, underscoring the significance of a well-trained workforce in attaining national development objectives. He suggested exploring training initiatives modeled after the UK bureaucracy to enhance the capabilities of Pakistan’s bureaucratic framework.
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The Development Director embraced the proposal, expressing openness to dialogue on how to facilitate this endeavor. She also outlined potential areas where the UK’s proficiency in public administration could be leveraged to fortify Pakistan’s bureaucratic capabilities.
In his closing statements, the Minister expressed gratitude to the esteemed guest and her team, underlining the necessity for augmented financial assistance, particularly in climate finance, disaster mitigation, and flood rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Additionally, he stressed the significance of enhanced transparency regarding off-budget projects and alignment between FCDO initiatives and national development goals to propel socio-economic advancement in Pakistan.